


I Love Him (But I Love You Too)

by Listless_Songbird



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Be kind to Gilmore, Multi, Polyamory, Story telling writing style
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-20
Updated: 2016-08-20
Packaged: 2018-08-09 23:56:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7822231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Listless_Songbird/pseuds/Listless_Songbird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The story begins many times, but maybe this time it'll have a happy ending.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Love Him (But I Love You Too)

The story begins with Keyleth falling in love. It begins with her going to Gilmore when she first starts to fall because “I’ve seen the way you look at him and I don’t know what to do.” 

Gilmore gives a sad smile and takes her hand leading her inside. Over lunch they talk. They talk about his smile and his wit and how he always leaves before he has to face his feelings. They give each other soft knowing smiles, a shared secret. And when Keyleth leaves she gives Gilmore a kiss on the cheek.

After the first lunch Gilmore and Keyleth meet regularly. They chat about magic and nature, and Vax, always Vax. some days its ranting and bemoaning, but Vax is always brought up. Gilmore is the one to hear when the full story of Keyleth’s first kiss, or about how Vax'ildan finally did some introspection. Gilmore was the one who told her it’s okay to love him back. 

(Gilmore’s heart breaks that he might lose them both. But they’ll be happy together so he just smiles.)

Maybe the story begins when Keyleth comforted Gilmore after the tavern. She gave him his space, but a week after it had happened, Gilmore showed up outside her door in Greyskull Keep. Covered in a cloak made of shadow. Keyleth was the one to gather him into her arms, was the one to hold him, and quiet Gilmore when he began to apologize for awkwardness of her position.

Keyleth sees the way Vax stares at Gilmore, his gaze heavy with “what ifs” She sees Gilmore look at her and Vax with a bittersweet smile, hiding his emotions when he noticed Keyleth watching. Gilmore began to stop showing up for their meet ups, it was too hard after everything.

It might have begun when Keyleth realized that she was off balance, tilting and spinning through life not quite stable. How she came to realize that a person can love more than one person in one way. How there are many types of love and many people who deserve it. She began surprising Gilmore, whenever she ran into him in town, bringing flowers and druid-crafted wooden animals, making him really laugh again. Drawing him out of his shell of false smiles and well wishes.

The story begins underneath the stars when he told her he loved her. The dams break, and he told her how he had never stopped loving Vax, but he began to love her too. And his love for her was different, but he couldn’t choose one without hurting the other. So the two of them would be better off without him. 

That night Keyleth held his head in her lap, running fingers through his hair until his eyes and apologise ran dry and he pushed himself away. That was the night that Keyleth let him go, even if it hurt her not to run after. She went home and found Vax telling him that they needed to talk. And she would tie him to the ground if she had to, but they needed to talk.

Her first sentence was “I know you still love him.” And Vax tried to deny it at first, but Keyleth cut through his words with a simple. “I do too.”

The next day, the two of them show up at Gilmore’s. And are confronted by a livid Sherri. How dare the two of them show up here. Much less try to talk to him. Holding hands, the two of them apologized, asking for one chance to make this right. Sherri lead them to a small back room, threatening them as she leaves. 

The story begins with Keyleth and Vax'ildan both taking one of Gilmore’s hands, Vax leaning forward and apologizing. Asking for forgiveness, and kissing their conjoined hands. 

The story begins with Keyleth smiling softly at him saying “I love you too.” Squeezing his hand. Gilmore, who had confined himself to be content to watch from a distance, now able to touch, to kiss, to love.

 

The story begins with the three of them holding each other close now that they can.

 

 

The story begins with I love you’s being repeated in a mantra over and over and over.

**Author's Note:**

> Trying out a different writing style! 
> 
> How do you like it? Comments always cherished.


End file.
